The plan should be finished by mid-year 2015. It will focus on increasing the number of high-skill and well-paying jobs in the area in the following three to 20 years, said John Monroe, an executive with Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

“It’ll look at what assets they have and the opportunities for diversification,” he said.

Government and a nonprofit groups are creating the plan, but its success will depend on the private sector, he said. “Private industry is going to have to play a significant role in this.”